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November 11, 2011

Papelbon Signs With Phillies

Jonathan Papelbon has shipped "up" to Philadelphia, having agreed (pending a physical) with the Phillies on a four-year deal worth roughly $50 million.

It's a drag to see the Snuffer go, but even with his stupendous performance in 2011, it was all but certain the Red Sox would not commit the kind of dough Papelbon wanted. Bot resisted signing a long-term deal with the Red Sox earlier in his career and he made it clear on several occasions that he wanted to test the free agent market.

Papelbon, who turns 31 this month, collected 219 saves in seven seasons with the Red Sox. In 27 post-season innings, he allowed only three runs (1.00 ERA), all of them coming against the Angels in Game 3 of the 2009 ALDS.

In 14.2 ALCS and WS innings, he allowed 0.48 baserunners per inning (excluding intentional walks). He recorded seven post-season saves, including Games 2, 3, and 4 of Boston's 2007 World Series sweep of the Rockies.

Earlier in the day, the Phillies denied they had a 4/44 deal in place with Ryan Madson.

Daniel Bard is the likely man to step into Boston's closer shoes, and he will cost approximately 4% of Papelbon's 2012 salary. Bard's WHIP has dropped every year (1.277, 1.004, 0.959), although he seems to have a mental block (or extremely shitty luck) when it comes to saving games. In his three-year career, he has blown 15 of 20 save attempts.

Not surprised the Sox will look at Madson and Bell. Brad Lidge is also on the market - he's old, but he could maybe fill the gap for a year or two. There were a lot of rumors of him coming to the Sox in 2007.

Not really a surprise (that he's leaving) given all he's said over the years. Too bad Jenks was such a disaster. Theo was certainly on to something. Maybe, unlike Cameron, the Sox will get something out of his (Jenks) second year. Or maybe Ben will prove luckier at building 'pen depth (and finding shortstops) than his predecessor. Let's get a manager, bench coach and pitching coach hired and get this off-season rolling!1!!1.

I guess I've been expecting this particular development for so long (Paps leaving and to the Phillies) that I don't feel anything about it.

I'll miss his innings, even if he was never quite as invincible as after the first couple seasons. I guess now I won't have to root for him in spite of his fratboy antics. And at least he didn't go to the MFYs.

Actually, I am not happy per se. I just don't care that much. Yes, he was great when he was great, but his attitude and his arrogance just annoyed the hell out of me. And when he blew a save, it always infuriated me.

I know that I am old-fashioned in this way, but frankly he always struck me as out for himself, not for the team, and this quick departure and his refusal to consider a long term contract all along is just more evidence of that.

So, yeah, I am not happy because I don't know how well Bard can do in his place or anyone else, but I won't miss that face. I hope Papelbon blows every save in the 2012 World Series when we beat Philadelphia in four games.

I'll miss him, for sure. I don't understand why the Sox wouldn't sign him. As 9C said, Philadelphia didn't give him the sun and the moon. I hope this doesn't prove to be a huge mistake.

Papelbon wasn't perfect but closers of his calibre are hard to come by. I never paid much attention to him on a personal level, so his bullshit didn't bother me (although he's certainly not my favourite type of player).

Philadelphia seems like a juggernaut now. Of course I thought that last year, like many people, thinking a Sox vs Phillies WS was a strong possibility.

The guy never backed down or ran away from an interview and supported his teamates, yeah I'm glad he is gone too, it sucked watching him dance with such vigor and happiness after they won the pennant and the world series, personalties arent for baseball players anyway, how dare he......

Plain and simple he is an elite closer and if we couldnt have Mo give me Pap.

I have to agree with 9C. I hated the fist pumps and he sure did seem like a fratboy, but jesus christ, we don't have to hang out with the guy. Mo being unavailable, Papelbon is the next best thing (albeit a huge gap between them).

I will just say that it's too bad that he doesn't have one half of one percent of Rivera's dignity, modesty, and class.

I agree, but to be fair, closers generally run more to the Bot style than the Rivera style. Pitchers tend to be an arrogant lot, I think it very often comes with the territory, and closers are the worst of the bunch.

Cherington:"We never made an offer ... To this point it's been clear where we see it, what we would be willing to do at this point in the offseason, given what our other needs are and given what we feel the alternatives are, is not something that matched up with what Pap was looking for. Because of that we haven't made a formal offer. I've seen the news out there today and it wouldn't surprise me if that happens."

Cherington said that Papelbon's representatives didn't give the Red Sox a chance to match the Phillies off, though he didn't feel that was necessary.

Cherington's saying, We're not paying top dollar for a closer. We're already paying top dollar for a lot of players.

We developed him ourselves, got several great years from him, and don't have the risk that he'll fall off. He'd have to be as good as he has been for four more years -- hardly a certainty. So, we did well with Papelbon. He pushed to get top free-agent money, and he made it. Doesn't mean we have to be the ones to pay him.

On an emotional level, it would sting more if his last appearance had been successful.

The guy never backed down or ran away from an interview and supported his teamates, yeah I'm glad he is gone too, it sucked watching him dance with such vigor and happiness after they won the pennant and the world series, personalties arent for baseball players anyway, how dare he......

Plain and simple he is an elite closer and if we couldnt have Mo give me Pap.